A Faltering self (Distorted Reality book 2)

Epilogue- Secrets Hidden in the Past

Author note:

Hello, loves. I came on here to thank you all for the love and support. Thank you for taking the time to read my works, and I pray you enjoy them. Yes, this is the end of book 2, and I do have book three already up for subscriptions, but for the time being, I'll be taking a break to work on another book for the rest of the year. I do have plans to start back with the series, and post chapters of book three, 'Hidden Shadows' spring of 2026, and hope you come back to enjoy more of the story. If you want more of me and this world, I do have a web novel with the first few chapters free on my Patreon (HalosCreations) along with short stories. You can also find my YouTube (Sarah J. Bethany) where I do trailers for my works, reactionaries/commentaries, and other content as well.

Thank you all again, and I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this series. Your ideas of what's going on, what will, and anything else. I love hearing from you guys. I pray you have a lovely rest of the year.

(Madison's POV)

I pull a box out of the back of Mom's car and follow Nathan in Kay's new place. It's still crazy to think that she'll be out of the house again. It wasn't even that long that she was back, and it felt like old times, but, now we're helping her move out again. Only this time there's no mom to kick her out.

I'm back to the car as Mom ushers Kay away from the trunk.

"No, we've got this. You don't need to be picking up anything too heavy."

Kay smiles guiltily as she puts a hand on her swollen stomach. She's not due until next month, but looks like she could have Alice any day now.

Once it's been a moment and everyone is just about settled in the house, I go out to grab one last box in the hopes that I can manage to sneak it in without anyone paying me much mind. I already have a lie planned if they do.

I'm nervous, but I need to do this. I'm tired of always being in the dark every time around. I don't know how I have been remembering when I really shouldn't at the moment, but I'm taking advantage of the clarity and planting things for myself to discover next time I'm back in the trials. The box I have currently is one with a few of my things that I can trust here where no one should be watching. I found a good hiding place unintentionally when we looked at it before Kay officially had the lease put into hers and her fiancé's name.

Speaking of which, Drake comes up behind me unexpectedly which makes me nervous. It's not even the fact that I don't like anyone being around me that I'm unaware of, but even when I do know he's there, I get this feeling of off. It has no real root, but for some reason all I can think of is how he feels the same as Kris. It's not fair to him, so I try to remind myself that he's a good guy. He's been great to Kay, and there hasn't been a moment around him that he's been anything but kind. So I always try my best to both to not be alone with him for long, and to not let the bad feeling make me think bad about him.

"Hey, I can grab that for you." He offers in a kind tone.

I get nervous and try to come up with anything believable.

"Uh, it's fine, I've been working on getting in some strength training. So, it's fine, but I think that Nathan said something about there still being something left in the truck if you want to grab that." I smile his way knowing that there is actually nothing there.

"It's always a pleasure to see this side of you, Darling girl."

Peter comes into view for a moment before he flickers away. He's been doing that this time around for some reason. He'll be here one moment, and gone quicker than he normally would be. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Just like the nervous feeling I get about Drake, I get it about Peter, but if I'm wrong about Drake, then why should I trust the feeling around Peter? Especially when I know that he was always good to me when we were young, and he was still alive.

Drake heads to the truck while I head into the house and up the stairs all the way to the attic. I put my box of things into the space I found and pray to God that it stays hidden until I come back for it. And even more, that I remember it here. Whatever is causing me to be awake while on my medication still, I pray it causes me to keep enough of my memories of right now that it stays regardless.

It's not much that I'm keeping here because I've been scattering some things and pieces all around that hopefully only I can crack. That way if I forget one piece, hopefully I won't forget all of them. And having them seemingly harmless items should hopefully make anyone from the clinic, or not, pay them no mind.

Please, God, keep this hidden, and help me to find it later.

I pull the board back into place in front of me. There's a part of the wall that covers the housing wires and junk that is blocked off. There's a loose board that pulls away where someone either forgot to nail shut, or just didn't care to. Either way works perfectly for me though.

Just as long as no one else figures it out too.

I turn away to head back downstairs when I jerk at the sight of the reflection from a mirror off to the side. There's someone standing near me. I realize that it must be a spirit and turn my eyes away from the mirror and pretend it's not there. Still, it doesn't stop the hot feeling on me that someone is staring. Not from behind me where they should have been, but from the mirror itself.

Yeah... no, let's get out of here.

I head back to everyone else and try my best to focus on everyone living instead of the few that pop in and away that aren't. And to keep my focus on the conversations directed at me by my family instead of whispers that aren't. It's always a learning curve, but I've been awake long enough for me to remember how to be in this reality while the other tries hard to pull me away from it.